9 big takeaways from Seahawks' Week 1 loss to Broncos

September 9, 2018 5:29 PM

Russell Wilson was sacked on six occasions, including three times by All-Pro Von Miller (Miller beat out right tackle Germain Ifedi for two of them). The Broncos’ pass rush had their way with the Seahawks’ offensive line throughout the game to pressure Wilson time and time again.

Miller also had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

"(The Broncos) have a really good defensive front." Seahawks starting center Justin Britt said. "We just gotta get back to work. There was a lot of positives to grow from and learn from. We just gotta keep at it. This will not define us."

Pass protection was one of the Seahawks’ most glaring weaknesses the last couple seasons and could be an issue again in 2018. Am I over reacting? Maybe. For example, starting guard D.J. Fluker sat out Sunday to nurse a hamstring issue. He could’ve eliminated a lost of the pressure that seemed to be coming from the right side. And maybe Pete Carroll challenges Ifedi again with George Fant.

Let’s give the o-line a little more time.

"We're not a young group. We're veterans," Britt said. "We want to keep Russ from getting hit, all day if we can. Some things are out of our control, some things are technique. The things we can change and fix, we will."

He didn’t record a catch against the Broncos and was ruled out to play late in the game after hurting his knee in the first quarter. Head coach Pete Carroll said post game that he suffered an MCL strain in his right knee, and the timetable for return is uncertain.

Baldwin, a two-time Pro Bowler, missed most of training camp and sat all four preseason games with an unspecified left knee injury. In late August, he said he was “80-85 percent” healthy and declared “truth of the matter is, (my left knee) won’t be 100 percent” this season.

DOUG BALDWIN HAS TWO BAD KNEES NOW
The Seahawks’ No. 1...photo-16142638.184994 - |ucfirst

RUN GAME DISAPPOINTS

Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny combined for just 59 yards on 14 carries (seven apiece) against the Broncos. The Seahawks want to resurrect their run game -- which has largely been ineffective since Marshawn Lynch’s departure after the 2015 season -- and Sunday was not a good start to that goal.

Carson looked great at times, though, and should’ve received more touches. He jumped over a defender on one run and had a long of 24 yards. He also had a 44-yard pick up in the second quarter that was rolled back by a J.R. Sweezy penalty.

RUN GAME DISAPPOINTS
Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny...photo-16142646.184994 - |ucfirst

WILL DISSLY WAS THE SEAHAWKS’ MAIN OFFENSIVE WEAPON … WAIT, WHAT?

Dissly was Russell Wilson’s top receiving target on Sunday.

You read that correctly.

The rookie out of Washington, known more as a pass blocker than as a pass catcher, had three receptions (on five targets) for a team-leading 105 yards against the Broncos. He hauled in his first career touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Wilson and broke out for a 66-yard gain later in the first quarter. He was really the only receiving threat for Seattle, as no other pass catcher reached 60 yards.

Pete Carroll said Dissly was "on fire" in the game.

"I think that's how tight ends should be, ya know?" Dissly said. "I think you should be able to block and catch a pass. ... (tight ends) are just as athletic (as wide receivers), they can run fast, they weigh a lot and they're tall so there is no reason why they can't block as well. Then obviously catching the ball is always fun."

Let’s not jump to any conclusions on Dissly. It was just one game. But if he can be any sort of pass-catching threat for the Seahawks at tight end, especially with Ed Dickson unavailable for at least the beginning of the season, talk about a huge bonus.

"It was special," Dissly said. "Catching a ball from Russell Wilson is always cool. We're going to have a lot more opportunities down the road."

And he reminded everyone why he’s arguably the best free safety in the NFL.

On the Broncos’ second series of the game, Thomas picked off a Keenum pass (intended for Demaryius Thomas) up the seam 25 yards to put Seattle at the Denver 20, which led to Dissly’s touchdown on the ensuing Seahawks’ drive.

Thomas has practiced with the Seahawks just a handful times this season after ending his (unsuccessful) contract holdout on Wednesday.

In the city where his NFL career began, Brandon Marshall showed his worth to the Seahawks.

The six-time Pro Bowler had a 20-yard score in the third quarter -- the highlight of a three-reception, 46-yard performance against the Broncos Sunday (Marshall also had a seven-yard TD reception in the first quarter rolled back by a self-inflicted penalty).

Despite the loss, the Seahawks had to like what they saw out of Marshall. The veteran looked fluid in his routes and aggressive in creating space when smothered. Most important? He appeared healthy. His nightmare season with the Giants last year looked like a thing of the past.

Maybe Marshall can’t be what he was early in his career with the Broncos or Dolphins, but putting up the kind of production he had with the Jets could be a possibility.

With Dontae Johnson placed on Injured Reserve on Saturday, the rookie out of Oklahoma State got the start at right cornerback against the Broncos.

Flowers got off to a great start, deflecting a Case Keenum throw intended for wide receiver Demaryius Thomas on the first snap of the game. But he was later beaten on 43-yard cross route by two-time Pro Bowler Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown.

A safety in college, Flowers’ transition to cornerback is an ongoing progress. He had some ‘good’ and ‘not so good’ in his NFL debut. Flowers still had a team-leading eight tackles Sunday.

"A couple routes I probably should have squeezed across the middle, it's just something we have to look at as a secondary," Flowers said. "A couple routes I want back. I'm just gonna keep competing.

"Demaryius came up to me after the game, gave me some words. He said he read that I was a safety and said I played him tight. ... It means a lot, but we lost. They had a lot of passing yards. I just gotta play better."

The Broncos pummeled the Seahawks’ defensive with rookies Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay. The running back tandem combined for 30 carries and 142 yards (both had 15 rushes, 71 yards).

The defensive line also didn’t do enough to make Broncos quarterback Case Keenum uncomfortable.

Frank Clark had a sack on Keenum. Other than that, Keenum seemed to have all the time in the world to find his receivers. If it wasn’t for a couple of ill-advised throws (the Seahawks had three interceptions), Denver’s margin of victory would’ve probably been larger.

Russell Wilson was sacked on six occasions, including three times by All-Pro Von Miller (Miller beat out right tackle Germain Ifedi for two of them). The Broncos’ pass rush had their way with the Seahawks’ offensive line throughout the game to pressure Wilson time and time again.

Miller also had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

"(The Broncos) have a really good defensive front." Seahawks starting center Justin Britt said. "We just gotta get back to work. There was a lot of positives to grow from and learn from. We just gotta keep at it. This will not define us."

Pass protection was one of the Seahawks’ most glaring weaknesses the last couple seasons and could be an issue again in 2018. Am I over reacting? Maybe. For example, starting guard D.J. Fluker sat out Sunday to nurse a hamstring issue. He could’ve eliminated a lost of the pressure that seemed to be coming from the right side. And maybe Pete Carroll challenges Ifedi again with George Fant.

Let’s give the o-line a little more time.

"We're not a young group. We're veterans," Britt said. "We want to keep Russ from getting hit, all day if we can. Some things are out of our control, some things are technique. The things we can change and fix, we will."